'It would’ve taken us years': Trail to link Watrous and Manitou Beach ready for traffic
A long-awaited trail linking the town of Watrous to nearby Manitou Beach is now open to the public, but the meaning behind this simple gravel path goes much further than meets the eye.
The safe passageway from Watrous to the resort village was a long-time dream of Ronald Ediger and his late wife Melissa.
“We had a dream to join the two communities,” Ediger told CTV News.
The safe passageway from Watrous to the resort village was a long-time dream of Ronald Ediger and his late wife Melissa. (Carla Shynkaruk / CTV News)
He got a sign made that will be placed on each end of the three kilometer gravel path — Memory Trail. It’s a tribute to his wife who died three years ago. Ediger says it’s also for others who use the trail and have a connection to this place.
“It kind of means memories of the past and making new memories,” he says.
Ediger owns a construction and gravel business, which made this project possible.
“I have the ability and manpower to put it all together — not everybody can do that,” he says.
The Rotary Club in Watrous started a walking path which extends around the community of Watrous and stops at the northern outskirts.
“He got it done in one year, where it would’ve taken us years and years to get it done. So now people can enjoy it,” Ron Morningstar with the Watrous Rotary Club told CTV News.
It was quite a process to ensure the trail met all legal requirements. Ediger got the OK from the Ministry of Highways as well as area landowners, one of which has a portion of the path on their land.
“The big concern is the safety on the highway. Get them off the highway; walkers and everything else, bikers. This way it’s a lot safer for folks,” Ediger says.
Safety has been on the minds of town council for years, as well.
“Because there’s been so many close calls with people on bikes, and all of a sudden Ron, out of the blue, said, you want that trail, I’m the man, I can get it done,” said Poppy Petersen, Mayor of the Resort Village of Manitou Beach.
While this path is a physical connection between Watrous and Manitou, they say it also represents a symbolic connection between the two.
“I think in this world we have to be in unison and make it better for folks,” Ediger says.
He admits that the two areas haven’t always been on the same path over the years, but he’s hopeful that the trail may change that in some small way.
Thousands of people are expected to hit this trail and Ediger is committed to it year-round. He’s even planning on bringing his snow plow out here in the winter for as long as he is physically able, adding that when he takes something on, he will make sure it succeeds.
“I don’t give up real easy.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.